Binance founder says Greece’s regulator was set to approve the exchange’s MiCA application before undisclosed political intervention forced its withdrawal.
Binance withdrew its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license application in Greece after the exchange’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, said it was fully compliant and near approval by at least one EU regulator. Zhao attributed the withdrawal to “political forces” but did not provide specific evidence or details on the nature of the intervention.
The application had progressed through regulatory review, with no prior public indication of delays or compliance issues. Zhao mentioned speculation linking European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde to the decision but stated he had seen no official confirmation. The withdrawal follows Binance’s broader regulatory challenges across multiple jurisdictions.
Zhao also commented on MicroStrategy’s STRC preferred stock, calling it “over-engineered” but did not question CEO Michael Saylor’s credibility.